Education & Skills 
On 18 May, Policy Connect’s Skills Commission hosted a parliamentary event to launch Earning or Learning: A New Agenda for Youth NEET Reduction.
The report draws on evidence from over 200 stakeholders across education, skills, local government, employers and youth organisations. It sets out a practical roadmap to reduce the number of young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK. The inquiry was co-chaired by Lauren Edwards MP, Lord Shinkwin and Josh Babarinde MP.
The event presented the report’s key recommendations, including reforms to school accountability to embed high-quality technical and vocational routes, financial support to ensure young people are not worse off when choosing to learn or train, and the introduction of a locally led Youth Opportunity Fund to strengthen youth services. It also explored proposals to improve data sharing, simplify engagement for employers, and scale effective interventions for young people facing mental health challenges or other complex barriers.
We were joined by the Minister for Employment, Minister for Employment, The Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP and a panel of cross-party parliamentarians, youth employment experts, and local leaders responded to the findings and discussed how the proposed Youth Guarantee can be delivered in practice across communities. The session brought together policymakers, local authorities, combined authorities, colleges and training providers, employer bodies, youth services, charities, foundations and researchers with an interest in tackling youth NEET and economic inactivity
Speakers:
- Lauren Edwards MP
- The Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP, Minister for Employment
- Alyson Hwang, Report Author
- Sarah Yong, Director of Policy & External Affairs, Youth Futures Foundation
- Professor Geraldene Codina, Professor of Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability, University of Derby
- Darren Booth, Group Head of Marketing and Communications, NOCN Group
- Dr Richard Smith, Head of Insights & Intelligence, West Midlands Combined Authority
This was followed by an audience Q&A, closing remarks from Lauren Edwards MP, and next steps from Claudia Jaksch, CEO of Policy Connect.
The report:
- Assesses the scale and changing nature of the NEET challenge, including the rise in economic inactivity linked to mental health and disability.
- Identifies key barriers to participation, including financial disincentives, limited access to vocational pathways, and gaps in early support.
- Builds on interim findings to set out a comprehensive package of recommendations across early intervention, financial support, local delivery and system reform.
- Aligns NEET reduction with skills participation, highlighting the need for a system that supports sustained engagement in education and training.
Key themes
The report identifies several key themes from the evidence as areas for reform:
- Early intervention and prevention
- Financial support and incentives
- Local delivery and infrastructure
- System reform and data
Looking ahead
The report welcomes the Government’s investment in the Youth Guarantee as a significant step forward. However, it argues that further action will be needed to address the structural drivers of the NEET rate and ensure the system supports sustained participation.
For further information, please contact Rhiannon Tuckett-Jones (Rhiannon.tuckett-jones@policyconnect.org.uk) or Max Bishop (max.bishop@policyconnect.org.uk).
The Earning or Learning Inquiry was made possible through support from the University of Derby, NOCN Group, Youth Futures Foundation, Jisc and The Institute for the Motor Industry (IMI).
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